The Hearts of Evil
by InanimateAnimation
Summary: I've finally found you! Now, just like your mother and father, you will die at the hands of Lord Voldemort!" This is all about the fall of Voldemort and the rise of a new evil. R&R please.


Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters from the Harry Potter series. They belong solely to J.K.Rowling.

Chapter 1: Face Off

The summer was well under way. On this particular day, the sun was shining happily which in turn had a positive effect on everyone. The sunlight had almost magical properties, meaning that Dudley was actually being nice to Harry. In fact, the entire Dursley family was being nice to him.

Around two o'clock in the afternoon, Uncle Vernon pulled Harry aside to speak with him in private. It seems that the Dursley family had quite a change of heart towards the whole magic world. It seems Dumbledore sent them a letter explaining the situation with Voldemort and also explaining the grave importance of Harry's safety and happiness. So when Uncle Vernon pulled Harry aside, Harry wasn't the least bit surprised by the fact that Uncle Vernon was speaking to him civilly.

"Harry, your aunt and I have been noticing that you've become a little closed towards the world. You always keep yourself locked up in your room, and to be honest, your aunt and I are becoming a little worried. Is there something bothering you lad?" Vernon spoke softly to him, a very new characteristic that Harry quite liked.

"It's just," Harry hesitated. Even with their newfound sense of acceptance to the magical world, the Dursleys still wouldn't allow Harry to invite his friends to Privet Drive. Deciding that there was no harm in asking, Harry proceeded. "I was kind of hoping to see Ron and Hermione before we go back to school. So far I haven't heard anything from them. Do you think I could bring them here for a day or two?"

Harry could see that Uncle Vernon was trying his hardest to stay calm at the request. He was about to say no, but remembering Dumbledore's letter, gave Harry the better answer.

"Alright, fine. But only for a day! No _funny stuff_ while they're here either!"

Harry was ecstatic. He ran up to his room, grabbed a piece of parchment from his trunk and scribbled the following note:

_"Ron,_

_Uncle Vernon approved of having you come here for a day! Only, the thing is, we're allowed no magic. So you'll have to drive, or take the train. Send me a letter back with Hedwig telling me when you'll be here."_

Harry tied the rolled up piece of parchment to one of Hedwig's legs. She gave a small hoot of content and flew out the open window. Harry watched as she flew off into the distance.

The reply came a day later attached to the leg of Pig, Ron's owl, who had grown considerably larger than the last time Harry had seen it. It zipped around Harry's room making a whole lot of noise, happy to have made the delivery. Pig flew over to Hedwig's cage, allowed Harry to take the letter from his leg, and then helped himself to some of Hedwig's water. Obviously, Ron hadn't read the letter over that well or else he wouldn't have sent Pig in the first place. Harry just rolled his eyes and read the note.

_"Harry,_

_Good to hear from you. Hermione is staying here at the Burrow. We'll be there in a few days. Of course, we could just apparate there, it would be a lot quicker. I guess that would get you in a bit of hot water though. Oh well, we'll take a "bus" or whatever Hermione called it. Seriously, muggles have the stupidest names for things. We'll be there tomorrow."_

Harry finished reading the letter, then went down to inform the Dursleys of the arrival of Ron and Hermione.

"Tomorrow? Couldn't you have given us a little bit more notice? I haven't locked up our valuables yet and we don't have a place to stay for the day." Aunt Petunia was clearly not as at ease as Uncle Vernon was.

"Oh come off it! My friends are no more villainous than any other muggle. Besides, Hermione's mom and dad are muggles so she was raised to be, what you consider, normal." Harry really needed to calm his aunt down. The last thing he needed was her going completely psycho on his only real friends.

"Please Harry, we've come to accept the fact that you're, well, _unique_. But could you please stop using words like that?" Uncle Vernon was obviously referring to the word that the wizarding world uses. Harry understood and nodded his agreement.

"My friends are..." Harry was about to tell the Dursleys that his friends were harmless, but he was cut off by the roar of a bus. Harry knew immediately it was Ron and Hermione so he dashed outside. As he got out of the house, the two of them got off the bus.

Hermione looked the same as ever, apart from the fact that her hair had straightened out and she had darker skin. Apparently, Hermione went to Hawaii for a couple weeks after last term was over. Ron, however, had changed a lot. As if defying all possibility, he had grown another few inches taller. Harry was by no means short, but Ron now towered half a foot over Harry. The two boys shook hands.

Harry led the two indoors as it was getting dark and the clouds were becoming darker and gathering to form a potential storm. The three went up to Harry's room, Harry and Hermione sat on the edge of the bed while Ron took the chair from Harry's desk. They started talking about the Order in low voices, being careful that the Dursleys didn't hear.

"Any news from the Order?" Ron asked Harry, seeing as how Harry was the only one who was able to get answers from the members of the Order.

"No. Moody and Lupin are the only ones who write me. Even then it's only 'How are the Muggles treating you?' and things like that. I've heard nothing of Voldemort and the death eaters. I want to be involved! I know that I can beat Voldemort, if only Dumbledore would give me the chance!" Harry was almost yelling and Ron was trying to calm him down.

"Wow, Harry. You've changed a lot since last year. Well, maybe not so much changed, but you've gotten a lot more...fierce. I think you might actually be the one to end the reign of fear that Voldemort has instilled." Hermione's voice was filled with adoration.

"I had better be!" Harry's eyes were filling with tears. "I've suffered too much at the hands of that evil. First dad, then mom, then...Sirius." At that moment, Harry cried out in pain as his hand flew up to his scar. This was happening exactly as the loud, signature, pop of someone apparating was heard, closely followed by many others.

"Harry? Harry! What's wrong? Ron! Did you hear those noises?" Hermione asked Ron who nodded his answer. Ron ran to the window just as Harry spoke again.

"He's here!"

"Well, he's not the only one who can make an entrance like that! You guys ready?" Ron was trying to be tough, trying to mask the fear he felt deep within his heart. The Dursleys had taken Harry to do his Apparation tests so now Harry was able to apparate. So were Ron and Hermione.

Harry opened his trunk and grabbed his wand. Ron and Hermione reached into their pockets and found theirs.

"Let's go! Voldemort dies tonight!" Harry was now fueled by rage. The three of them apparated out of the room with a loud pop. They reappeared outside the house, on the street, facing at least fifty death eaters.

They were all hooded and cloaked, standing in five rows, with a lone figure in front. Like a general leading his troops, Voldemort was at the front of the formation. The storm that was brewing earlier was now at full capacity. The rain began to fall, a few of the death eaters had banded together to form a giant Dark Mark in the sky. The scene was set, lightning flashed ominously behind the giant skull with a serpents tongue. Amidst the thunder, the evil man spoke in a voice so horrible, it made Harry, Ron and Hermione cringe.

"I've finally found you! Now, just like your mother and father, you will die at the hands of Lord Voldemort!"


End file.
